Dr Shobana Nair Partington
Head of Department
My profile
Biography
I am the Head of Department for Operations, Technology, Events and Hospitality Management in the Manchester Metropolitan University’s triple-accredited Business School. I believe in inspiring others to reach their full potential and cultivating a culture of success in the department. I am passionate about industry-led curriculum, and empowering learners for professional growth and positive societal impact. Through integrated education and industry-led research, I aim to drive transformative change, striving for enhanced productivity and excellence.
The department offers a diverse range of subjects, accommodating over 2,000 students and engaging 60 academic staff members from various nationalities. It provides an extensive selection of courses spanning from undergraduate to postgraduate programmes, including the sector-leading degree apprenticeships programme – Digital & Technology Solutions. We undertake applied world-class research to help businesses adapt and thrive through new insights into digital technologies and enhanced operating strategies and practices.
EXTERNAL PROFILE
I am a member of Learning, Teaching and Student Experience for Chartered Association of Business School (Chartered ABS) and Senator of Institute of Professional Development. I am also a founder member of the Northwest Business Leadership Team (NWBLT): Diversity Drivers, to help shape and drive forward their aim to increase diversity in the most senior business positions in the Northwest. I am passionate about driving changes not only in term of student award gaps but also promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplace. I also act as External Advisor on undergraduate and postgraduate programme validation panels for universities in the United Kingdom and overseas.
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- Fellow Higher Education Academy
- Member of the Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education (CHRIE)
Teaching
I am a Fellow of Higher Education Academy and have over 20 years teaching and supervisory experiences in business, tourism, events, and hospitality management programmes. I have taught in both the UK and overseas (Switzerland, Bulgaria and Malaysia).
I have a passion for student engagement and industry-led, innovative delivery and assessment that provides the necessary skills for work-ready, entrepreneurial graduates. I strongly believe in preparing students for graduate employment through raising self-awareness and reflection and inspiring our students to think big and equip them with digital and data analytical skills to provide them with competitive advantage in the job markets and help them climb the career ladder.
Supervision
Doctoral Supervisions and Completions
2021 PhD, ‘A critical evaluation of information systems in the hotel sector. Efstathios Georgiadis, Manchester Metropolitan University.
2016 PhD ‘Impact of psychological safety on employee innovation in the hotel sector, Sultan Yousef Moh’d Alzyoud, Manchester Metropolitan University.
2015 PhD ‘Critical success factors in the hotel sector’, Dario tom Dieck, Manchester Metropolitan University
2016 PhD ‘Tourists’ embodied transport experiences of travelling by train’, Ilze Dziedataja, Manchester Metropolitan University
2013 PhD ‘Managing the impact of the political crises in tourism’, Vorawan Kanlayanasukho, Manchester Metropolitan University
2010 PhD ‘Transport Tourists Experiences’, Steven Rhoden, Manchester Metropolitan University
Research outputs
My research interests are around pay practices, working conditions and inequalities, with a primary focus on the hospitality sector.
My academic background is in economics, in which I received a Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarship to support my master’s studies (University of Leeds) and a further scholarship for my doctoral research at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Before joining Manchester Metropolitan University as a full-time member of staff in 2002, I was involved in a consultancy project for the ‘Low Pay Commission’ in evaluating the impact of the National Minimum Wage in the hospitality industry that informed the implementation of the National Minimum Wage in the UK.
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Chapters in books
Partington, S.N. (2016) 'Hospitality Employment: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.' In Lashley, C. (ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Hospitality Studies. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group,
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Journal articles
Walmsley, A., Partington, S., Armstrong, R., Goodwin, H. (2019) 'Reactions to the National Living Wage in Hospitality.' Employee Relations, 41(1) pp. 253-268.
Langan, A.M., Scott, N., Partington, S., Oczujda, A. (2015) 'Coherence between text comments and the quantitative ratings in the UK’s National Student Survey.' Journal of Further and Higher Education, 41(1) pp. 16-29.
Sehkaran, S.N., Sevcikova, D. (2011) '‘All Aboard’: Motivating Service Employees on Cruise Ships.' Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 18(1) pp. 70-78.
Lucas, R., Keegan, S. (2008) 'Probing the basis for differential pay practices of younger workers in low paying hospitality firms.' Human Resource Management Journal, 18(4) pp. 386-404.
Lucas, R., Nair Keegan, S. (2007) 'Young workers and the National Minimum Wage.' Equal Opportunities International, 26(6) pp. 573-589.
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Conference papers
Alzyoud, S., Partington, S., Mitchell, C., tom-Dieck, D. (2017) 'Employee Innovation in the Hospitality Industry: the Mediating Role of Psychological Safety.' 16/5/2017 - 19/5/2017.
Dziedataja, I., Rhoden, S., Miller, A., Partington, S. (2015) 'An Analysis of Tourists' Experiences during a Train Journey.' 2/7/2012 - 5/7/2015.
Walmsley, A., Partington, S.N. (2015) 'A stakeholder approach to working conditions in the tourism and hospitality sector.' In 2nd International Hospitality and Tourism Conference 2014. 1/1/2015 - 1/1/2015. pp. 77-81.
Dziedataja, I., Rhoden, S., Miller, A.R., Partington, S. (2013) 'Methodological Considerations for Evaluating Affective Atmospheres of Mobile Environments.' In RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2013. London, United Kingdom, 1/1/2013 - 1/1/2013.
Rhoden, S.J., Partington, S. (2013) 'Designing competitive undergraduate tourism programmes: learning from industry expertise.' In EuroCHRIE. Freiburg, Germany, 1/1/2013 - 1/1/2013.
Kanlayanasukho, V., Miller, A., Partington, S., Rhoden, S.J. (2012) 'An analysis of the tourism industry’s management responses to political crises in Thailand.' In 4th Asia-Euro Conference. Kuala Lumpur, 1/1/2012 - 1/1/2012.
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Presentations
Edifor, E., Hart, D., Partington, S. (2023) Delivering Degree Apprenticeships Equitably. [Presentation] Chartered Association of Business Schools Learning Teaching and Student Experience Conference,23/5/2023.
Dziedataja, I., Rhoden, S., Miller, A., Partington, S. (2013) Methodological considerations for evaluating affective atmospheres of mobile environments. [Presentation] 27/8/2013.